Crouch seeks Reds talks

The England striker, whose contract expires next summer, has started just nine Barclays Premier League games since the July arrival of Fernando Torres and has been linked with a move away from the club.

The 27-year-old, who cost the Reds £7million from Southampton almost three years ago, told the Daily Mirror: "When all is said and done, I don't think I can have another season like this year where I've started nine Premier League games. Out of a 38-game league season, nine games is not the amount you want to be playing."

He continued: "I'll have to speak to the manager and see what his plans are. I need to see him and sort things out. I have to find out what he wants from me next season and whether or not I can continue with that. In some ways, I want to feel wanted.

"I'd like to speak to the manager and the club before I commit to anything and know whether or not I'll be here next year."

Benitez claims Crouch was offered a new deal midway through this season but the player insisted contract talks amounted to an informal "five-minute chat".

Crouch said he would love to commit his future to Liverpool, but not at the expense of his England career.

He denied having any contact with Portsmouth over a return to the club where he spent just under a season until March 2003.

But he is flattered at all the attention from rival clubs, adding: "It's always nice to know that if things did go completely wrong for me at Liverpool, I'd have options to go somewhere else and it's not the end of the world if things don't work out for me there."

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